Chicago school strike lifts one local firm

(Crain's) — The Chicago Teachers Union strike, now in its second day, is giving one Chicago company a boost in business.

Sittercity, a website that helps parents find baby sitters and nannies, has seen membership jump 35 percent in the past 24 hours in the Chicago market, said Mary Schwartz, director of public relations. (She wouldn't reveal total membership.)

Seems that some parents of Chicago Public Schools students have been turning to the service to line up last-minute child care since thousands of teachers walked off the job on Monday.

The company is giving parents of CPS students idled by the strike a free monthlong membership by using the code "CPS." The cost is usually $35 a month.

"We're trying to do everything we can to help parents," Ms. Schwartz said.